A Malaysian court has upheld former leader Najib Razak¡¯s guilty verdict from the first of a series of trials linked to troubled state fund 1MDB, with a judge referring to his actions as a ¡°national embarrassment.¡±
Najib failed to overturn his 12-year prison sentence after the Court of Appeal affirmed Wednesday that he was guilty of all seven charges in the case, which involved 42 million ringgit ($10 million) of funds belonging to SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB. He immediately applied for a stay of execution that would keep him out of jail while he appeals to Malaysia¡¯s highest court.
Najib¡¯s interest in SRC went beyond his public office, Judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil said, reading a 200-page judgement. ¡°We are in full agreement that Najib knew that funds entering his personal accounts are proceeds from unlawful activities,¡± he said, rejecting the former prime minister¡¯s claims his actions were taking in the national interest.
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